The National Archives Experience goes outside to play!

Washington, DC…Fall means cooler weather and back to school – the perfect time to take history outside! The Foundation for the National Archives, the National Archives’ nonprofit partner, has partnered with mobile gaming company, SCVNGR, to build a game that will get visitors outside and engaged in history. Players can use their own mobile phones to do challenges within an easily walkable four blocks of the National Archives building in Washington, DC. Players complete history challenges, earn points and win rewards. The site can be accessed at www.scvngr.com/fna.

To start your Archives History adventure, download the free SCVNGR app on your iPhone or Android to find the ARCHIVES TREK or text CIVWAR to 728647. The game will lead you to experience records in the very places where their creators lived and worked. Locate Civil War photographer Mathew Brady’s photography studio, find Red Cross founder Clara Barton’s office and imagine what a block might have looked like when it was adjacent to a canal! Each challenge highlights an interesting place or event related to the incomparable Civil War holdings of the National Archives. This activity coincides with the city’s Civil War sesquicentennial commemoration.

With SCVNGR, the National Archives and Foundation for the National Archives increase their extensive social media presence, using these tools to further expand outreach and communication with the public.

For more information on how to play, go to www.scvngr.com to watch the How to Play video, then join the National Archives to explore new places, do challenges and win discounts at the Archives Shop. For a list of National Archives sites on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Flickr, and other social media initiatives, see our Social Media web page.

About the Foundation for the National Archives

The Foundation for the National Archives is an independent nonprofit that serves as the National Archives’ private-sector partner in the creation of and ongoing support of the National Archives Experience. The Foundation helps the public understand the importance of the holdings of the National Archives by presenting the depth and diversity of the records through award-winning, interactive educational exhibits and programs. It generates financial and creative support for the National Archives Experience from individuals, foundations, and corporations who share a belief in the importance of innovative civics education.

About the National Archives Experience

The National Archives Experience, created by the National Archives in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives, has transformed the visitor experience at the National Archives’ Washington, DC building, and includes a renovated Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the award-winning Public Vaults permanent interactive exhibition, the William G. McGowan Theater, the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery for special exhibits, and the Boeing Learning Center. In addition, the Foundation has taken the Archives nationwide through online initiatives such as the Digital Vaults online exhibit and DocsTeach, a web-based educational resource. These components make the rich resources of the National Archives accessible to Americans nationwide.

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For press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (202) 357-5300.